“Ha ha!” he chuckled. “Indeed. I understand that very well.”
“However, I expect there to be strong collaboration between Noa and Russia in the future.”
“...Of what sort?”
I’ve got a bite! Russia must be dying to get their hands on biological weapon technology. Too bad, Noa doesn’t even have that technology. I can just send them information gathered from the Ursna Empire’s soldiers with a few changes and let them misinterpret it however they like. I’d like us to make an ally of a strong nation like the Russian Federation while we have the chance to surprise the United States, the EU, and the East Asia Alliance.
“That depends what sort of weapon information you want and how much,” I said. “This is all very hypothetical, but if favorable statements were continually made on our behalf during United Nations general assemblies and in secret meetings between heads of state with Noa in attendance, Noa could very quickly share details of our biological weapons projects, as well as prototype sixth-generation suit parts.”
“R-Really?!”
“Yes. We are also quite willing to assist in another attempt to launch the nuclear pulse propulsion rocket, Nadezhda, whose launch failed last year. By the way, we’ve investigated the reasons behind the failure of the launch.”
Last year, the Russian government had begun working on something called the Interstellar Spacecraft Project, similar to Project Orion undertaken by the United States long ago.
For Noa, creating such a spaceship would be a suitable research project for a child only, because we’d been able to study the materials left behind by Eve of the people of Adam.
We could suggest a few improvements, and they’d be able create a spaceship capable of a slow journey from Earth to Mars and back. Meanwhile, we were in the process of creating a spaceship capable of freely traveling through the solar system of G-88.
“That would put us on the level of allied nations. No, it would give us an even stronger relationship.”
President Shumsky appeared to be thinking hard about something. This may have been the most difficult decision he ever made during his long career as a politician.
Perhaps unconsciously, he loosened his tie with his right hand and drank his glass dry. Meanwhile, I added some milk to my tea and calmly stirred it.
“Very well,” he said at last. “The Russian Federation would like to enter into a formal pact of friendship with Noa. Are you familiar with the Warsaw Pact that our nation once entered into?”
“I know it well. It’s more formally known as the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance.”
“That’s right. We could recreate it in the form of the Hakone Pact. I will offer you the support of the Federation and all of its allies.”
“I appreciate you making such a bold decision,” I said.
Incredible! This will give us the power to fight against even New World! I never thought we could establish such a friendly relationship! This makes me a little reluctant to hand over materials full of misleading information. Perhaps we could capture several hostile life forms from G-88 and deliver them to Russia. We could say that a gargoyle was a failed experiment, and based on their appearance, the Russians might believe us. And maybe we’ll make their spaceship a little more powerful.
“Let’s return to the original topic,” said the Russian president. “In the initial stages of the attack on the Antarctic, what would you have us do?”
“Ah, yes. Please have half of your National Security Unit gather in Vladivostok. Once they’ve gathered, our krakens equipped with human transport containers will come ashore. The National Security Unit will then remain on standby offshore near Academy City.”
“But entering Japanese territory is... Okay, I understand. I will contact you again after we have done so.”
“Thank you. I will await your response.”
Once the call ended, I began drinking my tea.
Next, I need to talk with Ms. Yamamoto from the technology academy. I wonder what happened to make her want to come here to speak with me. I’ve been wanting to ask her how Kouki is doing at the academy anyway, so it’s good timing.
I was rubbing my sore back muscles that had stiffened during the discussion with the president. Then there was a knock at the door.
That’s odd. I wasn’t expecting Ms. Yamamoto for another hour.
“Come in,” I said.
“Is now a good time?”
It was Shuuichi who appeared. He must have just returned from Noa Island. He had a faint smell of gunpowder about him.
“As long as it won’t take longer than thirty minutes...”
“I’d like for some of our forces to descend on an inland region of Antarctica. We’ll need a high-altitude stealth jet. Can you prepare one for us?”
“We have a suitable prototype. It can fly higher than the Karman line.”
Suddenly I realized: Shuuichi probably doesn’t know what the Karman line is. I’m glad I have a husband whose bravery I can always count on, but his intelligence has always been his weak point.
Shuuichi’s response was more or less what I expected: “Sorry, Miki. You’ll have to dumb it down a little so I can understand.”
“Ordinary aircraft fly between an altitude of 15,000 meters and 20,000 meters in a region known as the troposphere,” I said. “The high-altitude spy planes that you’ve flown in can reach a maximum altitude of just over 25,000 meters. That region is the stratosphere, and it extends up to 50,000 meters. Have you heard of the stratosphere?”
“Yes.”
“Above that, extending to an altitude of 85,000 meters is a region known as the mesosphere. The Karman line is above even that: an altitude of 100,000 meters. Basically, it’s a line 100 kilometers above the Earth.”
“That’s space, right?”
“Exactly. Definitions vary, but it’s not incorrect to say that everything above the Karman line is in space. The prototype jet X-55 is a stealth jet that flies an altitude of 130,000 meters at a speed of over Mach 9, which is 12,000 kilometers per hour, using rocket engines.”
“Wouldn’t it be detected by satellites and space debris radar?” Shuuichi asked.
“Oh? I didn’t think you’d know about debris radar. It’s a stealth jet, so it won’t be detected. It has optical camouflage to prevent it from being sighted by satellites. When descending from altitude, it will be mistaken for a meteor if it has a stealth reinforced exoskeleton equipped. The only problem is—”